Weighted jump ropes are well-known in the prior art, for example:
Massa U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,038, granted Sep. 27, 1955, for a WEIGHTED JUMP ROPE;
Winston U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,827, granted Jun. 12, 1979, for a HANDGRIP FOR JUMP ROPE AND SIMILARLY GRIPPED EXERCISE DEVICES;
Waitz U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,903, granted Jun. 10, 1986, for a VARIABLE WEIGHT EXERCISING DEVICE;
Donohue U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,037, granted Mar. 3, 1987, for a WEIGHTED JUMP ROPE HANDLE;
Grant U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,624, granted Nov. 29, 1988, for a JUMP ROPE ATTACHMENT FOR HANDWEIGHTS;
Douglas U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,137, granted Jan. 31, 1989, for a VARIABLE WEIGHT HAND HELD EXERCISE APPARATUS; and
McNamara U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,561, granted Sep. 2, 1997, for a WEIGHTED HANDLE FOR A JUMP ROPE.
Weighted handles for jump ropes add resistance to the exercise and help develop the muscles of the wrist, forearm, biceps, triceps and chest. The versatility of such devices is substantially improves where the jump rope design permits adding weight to the handle, thus increasing the degree of difficulty of the exercise, creating an effective aerobic and anabolic workout, as disclosed in some of these prior art patents. Additionally, the use of a weighted jump rope provides a full body workout using all of the large muscle groups.
However, all of these prior art ropes have no or cumbersome means for varying and changing the weights applied to the jump rope handle. Some prior art devices have the weight applied to the rope in an ineffective position to give maximum exercise value to the device. None of these prior art devices have a weighted rope remote from the handles and none have means for adjustment of the weight or dynamic shape of the rope during exercise.
In a weighted jump rope according to the present invention, discs of varying size and weight are stacked individually or as a group between the jump rope handle and the cap and held in place by a novel single action spring loaded passive locking device located in the handle. These weights are arranged on the handle forward of the hand grip, but yet maintaining the center of gravity closer to the hand. The cap encloses the shaft of a ball lock a set of cavities being arranged within the cap to hold the ball lock, and secure the discs in a desired selected position between the handle and the cap. The rope may be secured to the cap or a rotatable clip may be secured to the cap and a connector at the ends of the rope may be secured to the cap. The invention also includes efficient and simple means for connecting the jump rope to the handles, providing easy shortening or changing of the rope.
Preferably, soft, lightweight, repositionable weights, are selectively positioned along the length of jump rope. The weights which may be fabricated from rubber or plastic, and have an aperture therethrough so that they may be threaded over the jump rope. The aperture and rope are cooperatively sized to slidably frictionally engage the rope, so that they will remain in a selected position until manually moved.
The stackable handle weights work in conjunction with the rope counter weights, making it easier to manipulated the jump rope during exercise, enhanced by centrifugal force. These counter weights also permit dynamic rope swing patterns to be selectively accomplished, adjusted and controlled. The speed of the swing may also be affected by adjusting the position of the counter weight on the rope.
The adjustable counter weights may be fabricated from materials which are colored or photo luminous, making it easier for the user to develop acrobatic jump rope use and as a means to display one""s performance. Also such a fabrication makes it easier to use the jump rope in a darkened setting, as the swing of the rope may be easily seen and tracked.
The disc weights preferably are stackable and interlocking, providing a stable weighted handle design. The single action novel quick lock and release mechanism for removably securing the discs and varying weight on the handle are not only convenient, but also permit quick timely changeover of weights without losing the rhythm of the workout, thus providing opportunities for combining anabolic and aerobolic benefits to the exercise.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a jump rope with weighted handles and rope of the character described.
Another object is to provide a jump rope with novel stackable selectively interchangeable interlocking disc weights which may be quickly releasably secured on a jump rope handle.
Another object is to provide quick action simple and effective mechanism for releasably securing disc weights on a jump rope.
Another object is to provide a spring loaded ball lock and shaft arrangement for release and secure mechanism of disc weights on a jump rope handle.
Another object is to provide a jump rope with weighted handles and rope where the handle weights are arranged forward of the handle grips but close to the center of gravity during use.
Another object is to provide a jump rope having cooperating adjustable weights on its handle and rope length.
Another object is to provide a length of robe for a jump rope with counterweights mounted thereon.
Another object is to provide repositionable counterweights for a length of jump rope.
Another object is to provide repositionable counterweight that adapt to different length rope for different size users.
Another object is to provide colored or photo luminescent counterweights for a length of jump rope.
Another object is to provide novel means for connecting and disconnecting a jump rope to a handle, facilitating easy and quick changing and shortening of the rope.
Another object is to provide a jump rope with weighted handles and rope which is simple, and easy to manufacture and use and efficient in providing exercise for its user.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.